Schackmann is responsible for establishing the infrastructure, policies, practices and details of excellence necessary to ensure that South Lake-based ConnectedHotel can continue its impressive growth rate of one new client property per week, while maintaining and improving the firm�s:

• Strong supplier relationships and the ever-expanding line-up of state-of-the-art wired and wireless HSIA solutions that come with them;
• Unique �Free To Guest� business model that allows member properties to capture immediate, significant and sustained ROI through occupancy increases averaging 10 to 25 percent within 12 to 18 months of HSIA deployment;
• Attractive low-cost provider position that gives hotel clients the ability to deploy HSIA solutions today at 25 to 40 percent the average cost per guestroom thanks to ConnectedHotel�s purchasing partners, talented team and lean operating practices; and
• Enviable tight delivery schedules, professional customer support practices, and effective online and offline HSIA marketing cooperatives targeting business and leisure travelers, corporations and groups.

�ConnectedHotel truly is a company �on the grow� � and that�s very exciting for the company as a whole and each of its employees and hotel clients,� Schackmann said. �It�s no longer a question of whether or when a hotel should install High Speed Internet Access.

�Today the question most hotel owners are asking themselves is �How can I afford in-room HSIA so I can stay competitive and build repeat and referral business?�� Schackmann said. �Thanks to ConnectedHotel�s proven solutions and competitive pricing, HSIA can be as easy to afford and as rewarding across the board as it was for me to join the company when this position opened up. Just follow my lead: Pick up the phone and call ConnectedHotel today to find out what you can do for yourself and your guests.�

As VP of Operations, Schackmann will report directly to Jags Patel, president and founder ConnectedHotel.

�We�re proud and privileged to have an industry icon the caliber of John Schackmann join the ConnectedHotel team,� Patel said. �John represents a rare first-round draft pick who possesses the experience, credentials and commitment to excellence that we and our growing base of hotel clients deserve and demand.
�John has a lengthy track record of improving the efficiency, service delivery and competitiveness of hospitality technology-based operations,� Patel said. �He�s �an idea guy� who is known throughout the industry as an agent of positive change and growth. Please join us in welcoming John to the rapidly growing ConnectedHotel family.�    

Patel said recent studies have shown that free-to-guest High Speed Internet Access is an idea that is catching on explosively in hotels big and small, making it a sought after amenity and a significant competitive differentiator for the hotels that have it today.

ConnectedHotel promotes client properties through www.connectedhotel.com, which details member hotels through an interactive members map with links to individual property websites. Helping guests plan their stays and fill their �need for speed� in connectivity, ConnectedHotel essentially is �a high-speed brand within a brand,� Patel said.  

Patel attributes the company�s string of installation successes to a winning business model tested and proven to benefit hotel operators and guests alike.
�From the beginning, we set our sights on delivering a unique value proposition to guests � knowing the ROI would quickly follow with improved guest experiences driving recognition, repeat business and referrals,� he said.

Over the past few decades, Patel has had a hand in the development of some 50 new hotels and he continues to hold stakes in nearly a dozen properties throughout the U.S. Patel said his owner/operator position has given ConnectedHotel and its customers a leg up on competitors regarding HSIA.

�Every HSIA solution, business model and technical and marketing support process we have in place today was rigorously tested and tweaked over the past two years at a few of the hotels I have stakes in,� Patel said. �Rather than join the others in the early HSIA land grab, we took our time to do it right � and we did it on the backs of my hotels so the learning curve couldn�t come back to bite us, our customers or their guests.�

ConnectedHotel is a subsidiary of Southlake, Texas-based NanuCom L.L.C., which also markets an array of  telecom and e-commerce/Web development solutions to the hospitality industry, as well as develops, owns and operates lodging properties throughout the U.S. Dozens of properties of many types and brand flags have taken the ConnectedHotel High-Speed Highway to Guest Loyalty, effectively creating a High-Speed Brand Within a Brand.